GE Marine Engines’ LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbines and main reduction gears have been selected for use aboard the Italian Navy’s new Andrea Doria aircraft carrier. The aircraft carrier is being designed by FINCANTIERI Direzione Navi Militari in Genoa (Italy) and built at FINCANTIERI’s Riva Trigoso shipyard.

Four LM2500 gas turbines will be used in a COmbined Gas turbine and Gas (COGAG) turbine configuration aboard the Andrea Doria aircraft carrier. Each of the two gear units will provide approximately 60,000 shaft horsepower and will be driven by two LM2500 gas turbines. Similar configurations will be in the port and starboard engine rooms.

GE designed the complete main reduction gears and will manufacture the rotating gear elements using its new 1.6- and 4.0-meter CNC form grinding equipment. These high precision (DIN 1) machines enable the use of a CBN cutting wheel technology to profile grind marine gearing. To augment the grinders, a CNC gear inspection machine sits adjacent to the grinders in the same climate controlled facility. Under GE license, FINCANTIERI will manufacture the Andrea Doria gear casings, and will assemble and perform running tests of the complete gear units at its mechanical workshop in Riva Trigoso.